Why was the US victory at Midway important in the fight against Japan?

Answer 1

The US victory at the Battle of Midway was a significant one for several reasons:

A. The war between the US & Japan began on December 7, 1941 and from that point forward Japan had been making success after success in the Pacific Theater;

B. Japan's attack on the US Naval Base on December 7th was a severe blow, although most of the US fleet was out on maneuvers;

C. Japan was having its way in the Pacific, taking over the Philippines, the Dutch East Indies and the Malay States;

D. Japan was also carving up China since 1931 & so far seemed invincible;

E. Both Japan & the US knew that naval control of key parts of the Pacific Ocean was going to establish which side would be victorious;

F. The Battle in the Midway Islands took place in June of 1942;

G. It was important for the US to have a major victory from a psychological point of view for the American public;

H. Japan sought to strike another major blow against the US navy at Midway and thus invested many warships into the Battle of Midway;

I. Generally speaking, both sides recognized the importance of aircraft carriers in the war;

J. The US victory over Japan at Midway cost the Japanese Imperial Navy 4 of its important aircraft carriers while the US lost only one; and

K. The result of the victory destroyed for good any myth that Japan could easily win the war against the US with its naval fleet in the Pacific. This victory, a major one, was only 7 months since the attack on Pearl Harbor. Thus from both a military point of view and for the positive impact it had on the American people, the victory was significant. The importance of it cannot be overestimated.